Priority For Cancer Patients Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic

A Call to Action For All Cancer Patients

The Seena Magowitz Foundation is proud to join the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition.

As their newest member, the Foundation is joining over 90 other organizations. We will be working together to demand better for all those affected by pancreatic cancer.

As a part of this coalition, we’d like to share a summary of the new global coalitions’ statement on COVID-19. It is a call for a global plan of action for cancer to meet the challenges of future pandemics or health crises.

We have seen the devastating impact that COVID-19 has had on cancer services and patients:

• Suspension of many screening and diagnostic services;
• Delays in seeking medical assessment or postponing planned investigations
• Deferrals of life-saving treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and radiation
• Interruption of vital research and clinical trials
• Plummeting incomes for organizations that play a vital role in supporting cancer patients

We must combat the impact of the above challenges.

We acknowledge the efforts by healthcare systems to deal with the pandemic. We are aware of the tremendous toll that this crisis has had on all healthcare workers. They must be fully supported.

We applaud efforts to provide cancer patients continued access to treatment and care.

Best practices include:

• • COVID-19 free medical centers where cancer patients can be treated at much lower risk
  • Where this is not possible, separation of cancer patients from those with COVID-19. Cancer patients must be confident that they can safely access services
  • A focus on rapid catch-up to post COVID-19 levels of cancer treatment
  • Ambulatory services designed to deliver safe treatments or tests at a patient’s home
  • Tele-medicine services – particularly for routine follow-up appointments.
  • Innovative ways of virtually involving family to take part in consultations

These actions above form part of a clear and thorough global plan for our cancer communities.

The Seena Magowitz Foundation believes that patient advocacy organizations, governments and health services must work together, now more than ever before. We must regain the ground that has been lost to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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